Horticulture Hotline 07/30/24
By Bill Lamson-Scribner
The dry and windy spring kept the mosquitoes at bay, but after that little bit of heavy rains that flooded low areas and ditches, regular rains, and high tides, they are out in full force. I had to get something I left out in my car at 4:45 AM and they attacked me and even followed me into my house. The other afternoon my mom was about to forego her afternoon walk because mosquitoes attacked her while watering her hanging baskets and pots. B^ST#$%S!
Malaria, Chikungunya, Dengue (still in the tropics), Zika, West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis are transmitted by mosquitoes … now it is time to wage war against the mosquito! Worldwide mosquitoes are the number one killer of humans (including wars) – amazing!
Scout around the yard for anything that holds water. Old tires, saucers under potted plants, rain gauge, bird baths, old flower containers or pots stacked in a corner, dog toys, kids’ toys, a container by the grill you use to soak wood chips in, a cooler, an old fountain, an upside down 5-gallon bucket that has a lip that holds water, a trash can lid with a dent, brick work that needs repointing, a hole in a tree and a dog’s water bowl all make great places for mosquitoes to breed. Empty the water out these areas (refill the dog bowl and the bird bath daily). A tarp covering a boat or wood pile can have many pockets that hold water. Sagging gutters hold water. A few empty bottles or cans can end up being thousands of mosquitoes! A bottle cap can be a breeding area. Many mosquitoes can breed in just an ounce of water. I was at a seminar and the speaker was encouraging people to limb up Magnolias (every horticulturalist gasped) so you could easily rake up the leaves because the big leaves held water and therefore were a breeding spot for mosquitoes. Sorry, I am not limbing up my Magnolias!
If you have bigger areas of water like a ditch or a low area of the yard that holds water, apply the Mosquito Dunks or the Altosid Pro G. The Mosquito Dunks are an organic Bt product that kill larvae and the Altosid Pro G is a growth regulator product that contains the same active ingredient that is used in the Precor products for controlling fleas. Although Altosid is not organic, it is very safe and labeled to be used in very sensitive areas like marshes. Turn off your irrigation when you can and correct any drainage problems. Mosquito Denial is a great product if you have a fountain, decorative pond, or standing water. Mosquitoes rely on the surface tension of the water to land and lay eggs. Mosquito Denial takes away this water tension, so the mosquito can not lay eggs on the surface of the water.
Any pruning you can do to increase air movement and sunlight penetration will also help. Mosquitoes like moist stagnant areas, so it is more important to treat bed areas than it is to treat lawn areas. Concentrate your efforts on the undersides of leaves on shrubs. Many mosquito products work on lawn pest also, so many folks treat their lawn too while they are spraying. Mosquitoes are very weak fliers, so they do not like wind or air movement (big fans for parties or by your grill – helps with flies too). Mosquitoes are a public health issue, so you might be able to get some help from a government agency if you have a big ditch or pond.
Army worms are very active, The Nasty Rascal – The Chinch Bug, fire ants, moles, flies, flies inside the house, mole crickets, weeds, and I have been getting an abnormal amount of roaches in the house questions (I guess they like the AC too)!
Bill Lamson-Scribner can be reached during the week at Possum’s Landscape and Pest Control Supply. Possum’s has three locations 481 Long Point Rd in Mt. Pleasant (971-9601), 3325 Business Circle in North Charleston (760-2600), or 606 Dupont Rd, in Charleston (766-1511). Bring your questions to a Possum’s location, or visit us at possumsupply.com. You can also call in your questions to “The Garden Clinic”, Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, or listen to the replay of Saturday’s show, Sundays from 11:00 to noon on 1250 WTMA (The Big Talker). The Horticulture Hotline is available 24 / 7 at possumsupply.com.
